Quick Notes in OneNote

Question

I have a frustration related to the nonsensical use of multiple versions of OneNote by Microsoft.  I am trying to utilize Quick Notes on the OneNote app (on a Surface Pro 2017).  Unfortunately, by using the Quick Notes activation (WIN + N), it pops up in OneNote 2016.  After it is saved and synced, it does not appear in the OneNote app (but does appear in OneNote 2016).

I visited the Microsoft store to address this issue but after a lot of looking through my Surface Pro setup, the technicians did not provide a solution.  I have since tried to uninstall OneNote 2016, but apparently that is not possible (the entire Office Suite has to be uninstalled; component programs cannot be uninstalled individually).  

The OneNote application utility is greatly decreased without the ability to enter a Quick Note on the fly.  I prefer to use the OneNote app rather than OneNote 2016, and I believe MS agrees (2016 is being phased out).  Is there a way to eliminate the activation of Quick Notes in OneNote 2016 and link it to the OneNote app?

On a related note, it would be extremely helpful (and seemingly intuitive) if Quick Notes could be opened with a pen click.  As it stands now, it can only be opened by pressing WIN + N on the keyboard.  This then requires that the Keyboard be connected to the Surface Pro.  Don't most people take handwritten notes in OneNote when the Surface Pro is in tablet mode (thus no keyboard)??

Answer 1

At first you should look where your Quick Notes in OneNote 2016 are stored. If you had older versions of OneNote 20xx installed before it is possible that Quick Notes are stored locally, on your computer. The OneNote app then cannot see them.

You can find out (and change) this place in Options:

You should have a (second) Quick Notes section on OneDrive which is used as default by all other OneNote versions. If you have local Quick Notes and want to store them on OneDrive in the future then empty your local Quick Notes and then change the pointer shown above to OneDrive.

For Quick Notes with the OneNote app there is no simple shortcut, but you can create a desktop shortcut with this command line

onenote-cmd://quicknote/?onOpen=typing

Bernd

Answer 2

When I try to Modify in the OneNote 2016 options screen, what do I enter into the box for Select the section where you want to store Quick Notes?  I want to direct all notes to OneDrive.  I don't see a need to store on the local drive, do you?  

As I said before you should see a Quick Notes section on OneDrive in the OneNote app or OneNote online. This is the right target for the parameter in Options.

Just select the Quick Notes Section parameter and click on Modify. Then you'll see the structure of all your open (!) notebooks. Now you have just to select the right section.

Bernd

Answer 3

Bernd--

Thanks very much for the quick reply.  You confirm what I suspected and noted to the technicians at the Microsoft Store.  They dismissed me (or more accurately, tuned me out as they fiddled with the various options).  I am not advised on how this works, but the Options selection in the OneNote app does not show the screen that you have displayed.  That Options screen is only available on OneNote 2016.

When I try to Modify in the OneNote 2016 options screen, what do I enter into the box for Select the section where you want to store Quick Notes?  I want to direct all notes to OneDrive.  I don't see a need to store on the local drive, do you?  

I appreciate your technical expertise and guidance.